• President Duterte graces FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament; Makes the ceremonial toss
• PRRD joins Filipino Muslims in celebrating Feast of Ramadan
• President Duterte’s Eid’l Fitr Message

PRRD made the ceremonial toss of the ball to signal the start of the game at 9 p.m. As he entered the court, the President bowed twice to the crowd amid thunderous cheers and yells from the fans chanting ‘”Duterte, Duterte, go go Gilas Pilipinas!”

It was a rousing welcome for PRRD who was escorted by FIBA officials and some Cabinet members. The President stayed to watch the entire match and boost the Gilas team’s morale against France, which is ranked fifth in the world according to FIBA statistics.

The national squad was leading in the first quarter and most of the second quarter. But the French team led by NBA stars Tony Parker and Boris Diaw caught up and eventually won.

Gilas will face the New Zealand squad today (Wednesday) in the Manila leg of the OQT. Two other legs are currently being held in Belgrade, Serbia and Turin, Italy. One winner from each of the three OQTs will join nine other countries that have already qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next month.

Historically, the Philippine men’s basketball team’s best finish was when it captured the bronze medal in the 1954 FIBA World Championship in Brazil. It was in the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics that the Philippines last participated in the world’s largest sports conclave. (PA)

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the proclamation is in the spirit of peace and harmony, which would allow the entire nation an opportunity to join the Filipino Muslims in the observance and celebration of this sacred Islamic tradition.

In 2002, Republic Act 9177 which declared the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, a national holiday for the observance of Eid’l Fitr. The approximate date for this holiday may be determined in accordance to Islamic calendar (Hijra) which means it has no fixed date in the Western or Gregorian calendar.

The Feast of Ramadan is important to the believers of Islam. who observe it as fasting of the mind and the heart. Eid is a time for healing social wounds or relationships and a period for bringing families together. More than a feast, Eid Al-Fitr is a spiritual thanksgiving and celebration of Muslims’ commitments to live out the teachings of the prophet Muhammad.

PRRD is the first Philippine President who comes from Mindanao, where most of the Filipino Muslims live. The three major ethnolinguistic groups in Muslim Mindanao are Maguindanao, Maranao, and Tausug.

Although he traces his roots to the Visayas, the President mentioned during campaign sorties that his maternal grandmother was Maranao and he has grandchildren who are partly Tausug. PND

I extend my warm greetings and felicitations to the members of the Muslim Ummah (communities), as they celebrate today Eid’l Fitr or the culmination of the month-long observance of fasting for the Holy Month of Ramadhan.

The observance of fasting during Ramadhan is among the five pillars of Islam. As everybody knows, fasting during Ramadhan teaches discipline. It instills in one’s mind and heart the virtues of honesty, sincerity and commitment to his faith. It promotes understanding, peace, sympathy and love for fellow human beings.

This year’s celebration is indeed timely and relevant, as the Filipino nation starts a fresh move towards peace, stability, development and progress under a new leadership. Definitely, we view the new administration with high hope and sustained enthusiasm that, with the support and cooperation of every Filipino, it will propel our country to greater heights.

May the sense of discipline the Holy Month of Ramadhan has taught and nurtured among Muslims inspire all the members of the Muslim Filipino communities to unite with other Filipinos to achieve lasting peace, political, stability, economic growth and development. Indeed, change is coming!

Happy Edi’l Fitr Al Mubarak, Mabuhay ang Filipino.

(SGD)

RODRIGO R. DUTERTE

President

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